Pea huller



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

'A. W.' ARMSTRONG. PEA HULLER.

MEEEEEEEE EWEWEE MEN a Patented-June 11, 1895.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) 7

. A. W. ARMSTRONG.

PEA HULLER.-

' Patent} J 1895-."

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ALBERT w. ARMSTRONG, or COLUMBUS, NEBRASKA.

PEA-HULLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 540,774, dated June 11, 1895. Application fil d February 23, 1895. Serial in. 539,290. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT W. ARMSTRONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at C0- lumbus, in the county of Platte and State of Nebraska, have invented a newand useful Pea-Huller, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to apparatus for shelling or hulling peas and separating the grain from the pods; and it aims to provide a machine, which will perform the operation in a rapid and satisfactory manner, and which is adapted for factory,'or domestic use, as desired.

With these ends in view, the machine consists of the novel formation of the shelling or hulling devices, whereby the peas are released from the pods without being crushed or broken, and in the special disposition of,

the parts forming the separating and the cleaning mechanism, either separately or in combination; the organized structure being compact and readily accessible in its parts forpurposes of repair and cleaning, and performing the work in an efficient manner.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with and embodying the essence of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section taken on the line X X of Fig. '3 and shown on alarger scale. Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation of the machine, shown on the same scale as Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan section of the huller on the line Y Y of Fig.2. Fig. 5 is a detail section on the line Z Z of Fig. 2, looking to the left, as indicated by the arrow. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a hulling-tooth on a larger scale, being approximately full size. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views, respectively, of the upper and lowerscreens of the separating-shoe.

The numeral 1 represents the casing, or compartment, for inclosing the separating. devices, and 2 indicates my improved huller, which is mounted upon the top side of the casing and at one end. The casing, or compartment, 1 is closedin on allsides, and is provided in its upper portion with a separating shoe 3,'which is supported at one end by a jecting journal of the drum, and is adapted to co-operate with a pawl 9 on the side of the casing so as to holdthe drum in the desired and located position. An upwardly-curved guard 10 is provided at the inner, or receiving end of the shoe 3 to prevent the peas from -passing over said end of the shoe. This guard is preferably of sheet metal, and is attached at its lower edge portion to the shoe in any desired manner. The shoe comprises an upper screen 11 and a lower screen 12, the upper screen being preferably wire netting, the meshes of which are'sufficiently large to permit the largestsized peas to pass readily therethrough, and the lower screen is formed of sheet metal having oblong openings formed therein of sufficient size to permit the passagepf the peas therethrough.

A transverse shaft 13, suitably journaled on the rear end of the casing 1, is provided at 1 one end with a crank, or crank wheel, 14, which has connection through pitman 15 so as to impart a recipro'catory, or oscillating movement, to the shoe 3, to facilitate the separation of the hulls and pods from the peas. A band pulley 16 is provided on the outer end of the shaft 13, and is connected by an endless belt 17 with a pulleylS on the shaft 19 of the hulling cylinder, so as to transmit motion from said shaft 19, which is driven by any suitable power, to the shaft 13. The pitman 15 operates through a slot 20 in the rear end of the casing. T

A separating belt 21 occupies the lower portion of the casingimmediately below the shoe 3, and inclines upwardly from the lower front corner of the casing to approximately the up per rear corner, thereby providing an incline for the rapid discharge of the peas. This separating .belt 21 is supported at its ends upon drums, or pulleys, 22 and 23, and curves downward between the said supported ends to facilitate the separating process. The upper portion of the belt 21 travels in a reverse direction to the discharge of the peas, and moves from the support 22 toward the support 23, as indicated by the arrow, the peas moving in an inverse direction when escaping from the casing, that is, from the support 23 toward the support 22 and into a housing 24, which is provided at its lower end with a spout 25 for the discharge of the peas into a suitable receptacle placed thereunder to receive the peas.

The belt 21 is composed of a series of sections 26, which are attached near their ends to endless tapes, or belts, 27, the latter being preferably of leather, to which the sections 26 are attached at one edge, only, by means of rivets, or similar fastenings, 28. These sections 26 are plates of sheet metal about five to six inches wide and fourteen to eighteen inches in length, more or less, and which have their end portions flanged, as shown at 29, to prevent the peas from escaping over the edge of the belt 21. In order to give strength and rigidity to the sections 26, they are curved upward between their front and rear edges. The edge portions of the sections 26 overlap, so as to preclude any escape of the peas or the fragments of the pods. By having only one edge of the sections attached to the carrying belts 27, the said sections will pass readily by the supporting pulleys, or drums, 2 and 23, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 2. The forward, or advancing, edges of the sections are attached to the carrying belts 27, thereby preventing the lodgment of the peas and pods against the said edges and causing them to move away from the supporting belts 27.

Guards, or deflecting strips, 30 are provided, one at each side of the upper portion of the separating belt 21, to prevent the peas and the fragments of pods from passing into the spaces occurring between the edges of the said separating belt 21 and the side pieces 31 of the structure supporting the said separating belt 21 and its pulleys 22 and 23. These guards 30 are strips of sheet metal which are attached at their upper edges to the side pieces 31 and have their lower edge portions deflected away from the said side pieces 31 so as to extend over the end flanges 29 of the sections 26. This construction is shown most clearly in Fig. 5. The side pieces 31 are bracingly connected together in any desired manner, and taper, or increase in width, from the pulley 22 to the pulley 23, and form supports for the journals of the said pulleys, or drums, 22 and 23.

The outer ends of the side pieces 31 are connected by an end piece 32, which is provided with handles, or pulls, 33, by means of which the framework, or structure, supporting the separating belt 21 may be drawn from the easing 1, when it is desired to clean or repair the said separating belt 21, or gain access to the interior of the casing 1 for any desired purpose. A brush 34 is arranged to engage with the separating belt near its outer end, for the purpose of cleaning the said separating belt and removing therefrom any adhering particles. This brush is supported upon the end piece 32, and engages with the separating belt at or near the portion passing over the drum, or pulley, 23. An inclined board 35 is located within the casing directly above the lower end of the separating belt 21, and is designed to prevent the fragments of pods from escaping into the housing 24 and passing out with the peas.

The huller 2 comprises a cylindrical portion 36, a hopper 37, and a standard 39, the latter being hollow to permit of the free passage of the peas and pods therethrough to the shoe 3. The cylindrical portion 36 separates on a horizontal line, as most clearly indicated in Fig. 1, to admit of the hulling cylinderbeing readily placed in position, and the upper partis provided with the hopper 37 and the lower part with the standard 39, the two parts being secured together when assembled by means of straps 40, as most clearly indicated in Fig. 1. One half of the cylindrical casing is provided with teeth 42, and is hinged at its lower end, as shown at 43, in such a manner as to admit of the hinged portion 41 opening away from the casing to admit of ready access to the hulling cylinder and the teeth carried by the part 41 for purposes of repair and cleaning.

A turn'button 44 is provided at the free endv of the hinged portion 41 to secure the latter in proper position. This hinged part. 41 forms a concave, or breast, and the teeth 42 are attached directly thereto, preferably by having their threaded shanks 45 passing through openings provided in the part 41 and receiving clamp nuts 46 on the projecting threaded ends, by means of which the said teeth are held in place. A shoulder 47 is formed at the inner end of the threaded portion 45, and the part to which the teeth are applied is clamped between the said shoulder 47 and the nuts 46. The teeth 42 will be provided in parallel rows, as most clearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 4, the numberof teeth to each row depending upon the capacity and size of the huller.

The teeth 42 have their outer end portions 48 bent at approximately right angles and terminating in blunted, or approximately ball-shaped, ends to prevent injurious contact thereof with the peas. On the part 41 the teeth are disposed so that the bent ends 48 project upwardly, whereas the similar teeth provided on the cylinder 49 are arranged so that the ends 48 extend in.a reverse direction to co-operate with the teeth on the part 41.

The teeth are provided on the cylinder 49 in parallel rows in a manner similar to the teeth on the part 41, the teeth on the parts 49 and 41 being so disposed so that in the operation of the cylinder 49 the teeth carried thereby will pass and operate in the spaces substantially in the manner herein specified.

provided between the'teeth on the part 41. This relative disposition of the teeth is most clearly indicated in Fig. 4.

The space between the outer face of the cylinder 49 and the inner face of the part 41 is divided into three equal parts, the bent ends of the teeth carried by the respective parts 49 and 41 occurring on the divisional lines between the said faces. By this construction it will be seen that the bent ends 48 of the teeth carried by the part 41 occupy a position corresponding with two-thirds of the distance from the inner face of the part 41, and the bent ends of the teeth carried by the cylinder will, in like manner, occupy a position corresponding with two-thirds of the distance fronrthe other face of the cylinder 49 to the inner face of the part 41. From this it will be seen that the bent ends of the teeth of the part 41 occur midway of the space between the bent ends of the teeth carried by the part 49 and the outer face of the said part 49. This proportioning and relative location of the teeth has been found to give the best possible result, and is preferred in con structing the apparatusafter the principle of my invention.

The outer end of the shaft 19 is provided with a band pulley 50, which is connected by an endless belt 51 with a band pulley 52 on the projecting journal 53 of the roller, or drum, 23 so as to impart movement thereto and to the separating belt 21. of the shaft 19 is provided, respectively, with a tight and loose pulley 54 and 55, around which a belt 56 passes driven from a suitable source'of power so as to rotate the shaft 19 and transmit movement to the operating parts The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The peas to be shelled, or hulled, are

placed in bulk into the hopper 37, and are taken up by the teeth on the cylinder 49 and carried against the teeth provided on the part 41, by means of which the hulls, or pods, are crushed and broken and the peas liberated therefrom. The peas and hulls fall upon the shoe 3, which latter separates the bulk of the pods, or shells, from the peas, the latter, together with the small particles or fragments of the pods, or hulls, passing through the screens of the shoe and falling upon the separating belt 21. The peas as they strike the upwardly-inclined belt 21, roll down the same into the housing 24, from which theyescape by means of the spout 25 into a suitably-placed receptacle, whereas the small particles and fragments will cling and adhere to the belt and be carried thereby over the pulley 23 and out from the casing 1 and drop into areceptacle placed to receive them. The brush 34, operating against the belt 21, serves to clean the latter and remove therefrom such particles as will not read- The opposite end rthe feed of the peas to be hulled is regulated and the huller prevented from choking.

By having the belt 21 curve, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, it will be observed that the lower portion, near the discharge for the peas, extends approximately in a horizontal direction. This is of vital importance in the efficient working of the machine, because it prevents the particles of the pods, or hulls, which may fall on this end of the belt from passing off with the peas. Again, the upper end portion of the belt 21 inclines rapidly upward, thereby preventing any peas falling on this portioh of the belt from being carried off with the fragments and particles of the pods, or hulls. It is also important that the active ends of the teeth be blunted, or approximately ball shaped, to prevent the injurious engagement of such ends with the peas, which would result in the crushing and injuring of the marketable product. 4

The organized structure herein shown and described is especially designed for hulling or shelling peas on a large scale, being especially constructed for factory use. However, for domestic purposes the huller 2 will be provided and manufactured of such a size as to place the same within reach of housekeepers, and of sufficient-lightness, consistent with practicable results, so as to be readily handled and occupy but a small space when not required for use. Obviously, when so constructed and used, the peas must be separated from the pods and hulls by hand.

The construction and relative disposition of the parts herein shown are preferred, as in practice they give the best results. However, changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacriticing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In an apparatus for hulling or shelling peas, the combination with a casing havinginwardly-projecting teeth which have their ends blunted, or ball shaped, and bent upwardly at approximately right angles, of a cylinder provided with similar teeth, whose bent ends are approximately ball shaped and project in a reverse direction to the bent ends of the teeth carried by the said casing, substantially as described for the purpose set forth.

2. In an apparatus for hulliug or shelling peas, the combination with the cylinder and its casing, of similarly constructed teeth disposed in parallel rows around the cylinder and on a portion of the casing, and having their ends blunted, or ball shaped, and bent at about right angles, the ends of the teeth on the cylinder being bent and extending in a reverse direction to the bent ends of the teeth provided on the casing, and the said bent ends of the two sets of teeth being disposed to divide the space between the cylinder and the casing into approximately three parts, and

the bent ends of one set of teeth operating midwayof the space between the bent ends of the other set of teeth and the face of the part supporting the same, substantially as described for the purpose specified.

3. In an apparatus for hulling or shelling peas, the combination of a cylinder provided with hulling teeth, and a casing separable on substantially a horizontal line and provided at its upper end with a hopper and at its lower end with a tubular standard, one half of the cylindrical part of the casing being hinged at its lower end so as to open outward and downward from its upper end, and provided on its inner side with a series of hulling teeth to correspond with the hulling teeth of the cylinder, substantially as set forth.

4. In an apparatus for hulling peas, the combination with the hulling mechanism, of a separating belt formed from a series of sections which are attached at one edge to an endless support, and which are curved upwardly between their front and rear edges, the adjacent edges of the said plates overlapping and lying in substantially the same plane, whereby a continuous working surface is obtained substantially as described for the purpose set forth.

5. In an apparatus for hulling peas, the combination with the hulling mechanism, of a separating belt formed by means of a series of sections of sheet metal which are attached at one edge only to asuitable endless support, and which have their end portions flanged and are curved upwardly between the edges, the adjacent edges of the said plates overlapping and lying in substantially the same plane, whereby a continuous working surface is obtained substantially as described for the purpose set forth.

6. In an apparatus for hulling peas, the combination with a casing having an opening in one end and a discharge spout at the op posite end, and a hulling device above the open end of the casing, of a structure removably inserted through the open end of the casing and increasing in width from the inner to the outer end, and having rotary supports at the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the removable structure, and a separating belt mounted upon the said rotary supports and curving downward between its ends, and comprising a series of sheet metal plates which have their adjacent edge portions overlapped and which are secured to their support at one edge only, substantially as described for the purpose set forth.

7. The herein-specified apparatus for hulling and separating peas, consisting of a casing, a huller mounted upon the casing, a separating shoe located within the upper portion of the casing and vertically adjustable at one end, a structure removably inserted through one end of the casing and increasing in width from the inner to the outer end, a housing and inclined deflector at that end of the easing from which the peas escape, rotary supports at the upper and lower ends of the said removable structure, a separating belt mounted upon the said rotary supports, and formed of a series of sheet metal sections which are attached at one edge only to a suitable support and have their end portions flanged, and which curve upwardly between their edges, side guards projecting over the flanged ends of the sections, and a brush arranged near the upper end of the said separating belt, substantially as described for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT XV. ARMSTRONG.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. SIGGERS, HAROLD H. SIMMs. 

